KR101288067B1 - Apparatus of providing product information for a store - Google Patents

Abstract

A store product information providing apparatus is disclosed. This store product information providing apparatus includes a display unit for displaying an image, a communication unit for communicating with a service providing server, an RFID reader for reading information recorded in an RF tag of a product, and the RF tag read by the RFID reader. And a control unit which transmits information to the service providing server through the communication unit, receives relevant image information about the product from the service providing server, and outputs the related image information to the display unit.

Description

Apparatus of providing product information for a store}

The present invention relates to an apparatus for providing product information, and more particularly, to an apparatus for providing product information using RFID technology.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) has its own antenna that contains information about the entire process of production, distribution, storage, and consumption on a tag attached to the product, and enables readers to read this information and communicate with the communication network. An activity or chip used in conjunction with an information system in conjunction. The RFID system consists of three types of readers (integrators), antennas, tags (tags or transponders).

RFID is classified into an active and passive manner according to whether the RF tag itself includes a power source for supplying power to the radio transceiver and the transceiver. In addition, RFID is classified into read, write once read many (WORM), and read / write according to characteristics of the internal memory. An RFID reader is a device that directly communicates with a tag to read information of the tag and transmits the collected information to the middleware. The RFID reader may include an antenna, an RF circuit, a demodulator, a real time signal processing module, a protocol processor, and the like.

Meanwhile, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2003-0089045 reads an RF tag of a product with an RFID reader in a store and transmits it to a server, and the server transmits genuine information of the product to a customer's mobile communication terminal, thereby activating the product. Techniques for providing services are disclosed. This allows the customer to be authenticated for the authenticity of the product they wish to purchase. However, since the customer can only be provided with information about the authenticity of the product to his mobile terminal, detailed information about the product cannot be obtained. In addition, the authenticity of the product itself is meaningless if the information recorded on the RF tag is duplicated.

An object of the present invention is to provide a product information providing device for a store that can provide a variety of information about the product to the customer in the store.

In addition, an object of the present invention is to provide a product information providing device for a store that can guarantee the authenticity of the product.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for providing product information for a store according to an aspect of the present invention, a display unit displaying an image, a communication unit communicating with a service providing server, and an RFID reader for reading information recorded in an RF tag of a product. And a control unit which transmits the information recorded in the RF tag read by the RFID reader to the service providing server through the communication unit to receive related image information about the product from the service providing server and output the information to the display unit. do. Here, the related information about the product includes at least one image information of the three-dimensional modeling image information of the product and the image information of the associated product line of the product.

The memory of the RF tag includes an identifier area and a user area in which tag identifier information is stored, and the user area is divided into two or more areas encrypted with different encryption keys, and the controller is configured to identify identifier information of the rotatable smart display device. The tag identifier information read by the RFID reader is transmitted to the service providing server through the communication unit to transfer one or more encryption keys received from the service providing server to the RFID reader, and the one or more encryption keys in the RFID reader. Receives the information in the user area decoded using the transmission to the service providing server through the communication unit to receive the relevant information about the product from the service providing server.

The user area includes a producer area in which producer information of the product is recorded and a distribution area in which distribution information of the product is recorded, and at least one encryption key received from the service providing server is at least one of the producer area and the distribution area. Key for decrypting one area.

The apparatus for providing product information for a store according to the present invention can increase customer satisfaction by providing a variety of image information about a product as well as genuine product certification.

In addition, the store product information providing apparatus according to the present invention can not access the user information recorded in the RF tag of the product without legitimate authority, making the replication of the RF tag difficult to increase the reliability of activation using the RF tag Create.

1 is a general block diagram of an RF tag.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating four banks of the memory shown in FIG. 1; FIG.
3 is a diagram illustrating a field allocation structure of a memory area in an RF tag according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a diagram showing stored information, contents, and information encryption of each field according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a diagram illustrating the types, uses, and generating methods of encryption keys according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a view for explaining a process in which a consumer product is distributed to a consumer at a production location by using an RFID access terminal and an RF tag according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a process diagram for recording production information in the RF tag according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a procedure for recording a first level distribution information in the RF tag according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 9 is a procedure for recording a third level of distribution information in the RF tag in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
10 is a perspective view of a product information providing device for a store according to an embodiment of the present invention.
11 is a state diagram of use of the product information providing device for shop shown in FIG. 10;
12 is a block diagram showing a product information providing device for a store according to an embodiment of the present invention.
13 is a store product information providing procedure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and further aspects of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail to enable those skilled in the art to easily understand and reproduce the present invention.

1 is a general block diagram of an RF tag.

The RF tag 100 exchanges data wirelessly with an RFID reader, and stores wireless tagging means and user information, and wireless communication means 110 which extracts a power component from a signal wirelessly received therefrom and supplies it to a power source of the tag. The memory 120 and the controller 130 for outputting the user information stored in the memory 120 to the outside through the wireless communication means 210. The wireless communication unit 110 includes an antenna 111, a power supply unit 112 for supplying power by processing a power radio wave signal among signals received through the antenna 111, and a demodulator for demodulating the received signal ( 113 and a modulator 114 for modulating a signal to be transmitted. The antenna 111 is formed along the outer circumference of the tag in a printed pattern or coil, and its own construction of the modulator 114 and the demodulator 113 is well known in the art, and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In the active case, the power supply unit 112 may be an RF tag battery. In the passive case, the power supply unit 112 extracts a power component from a wireless signal received from an RFID reader and supplies it to the power of the tag. The memory 120 is composed of, for example, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory such as an EEPROM or a flash ROM, so that data is preserved even when power is lost. The memory 120 stores unique user information for identifying each family member. The controller 130 controls the entire RF tag 100, and may be implemented as a dedicated hardware of digital logic designed as a state machine, for example, an ASIC circuit designed based on flip-flops and gates. In another embodiment, the controller 130 may be implemented as a microprocessor.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating four areas Bank of the memory illustrated in FIG. 1. The tag chip of the EPC Class 1 Generation 2 or ISO 18000-6C standard has a structure as shown in FIG. 1. Area 0 (00) is an undefined reserved area, area 1 (01) is a unique item identifier (UII), area 2 (10) is a tag identifier (ID) area, and area 3 (11) is a user area. In the user area of the area 3, information other than the RFID code and the additional information is freely recorded, and is not standardized by the encoding method. Area 2 is where the tag manufacturer ID is recorded. The encoding method must be in accordance with the ISO / IEC 15963 standard and cannot be modified arbitrarily by the RFID service provider. The area 3 may include an area in which producer information is recorded, an area in which distribution information is recorded, and an area in which buyer information is recorded, and each area may be encrypted by different encryption keys. One or more encryption keys used to decrypt the user area may be managed by a service providing server that provides product information, which will be described later.

3 is a diagram illustrating a field allocation structure of a memory area in an RF tag according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The contents of the fields included in the area '10' and the area '11' of the memory area are shown. The area '10' may store a tag identifier (TID) which is a unique ID for identifying an RF tag. In this case, the manufacturer of the RF tag may record the TID in the area '10' before the RF tag is produced and provided to the manager of Brand X (eg, Louis Vuitton). Once recording is made in area '10', rewriting may not be possible after that. For example, the region '10' may be implemented as a read only memory (ROM).

RF tag manufacturers can provide RF tags to managers of various brands. For example, a product manager such as brand X (Louis Vuitton) can be supplied with a certain amount of RF tags, and a product manager such as brand Y (Chanel) can be supplied with a certain amount of RF tags. Here, the manager of brand X may refer to a subject who plans and supervises all value chains such as production, distribution, and sale of brand X products. For example, the manager of Brand X may be a corporation that owns the Louis Vuitton brand.

The RF tag manufacturer may record a value identifying the manager of each brand with the TID value in the area '10' prior to supplying the RF tag to managers of various brands. For example, the area '10' of all RF tags (hereinafter referred to as RF tag X) supplied to the manager of brand X may include a certain value representing brand X, for example, '1xxxxxx', and be supplied to the manager of brand Y. The area '10' of every RF tag (hereinafter, referred to as RF tag Y) may include a constant value representing the brand Y, for example, '2xxxxxx'. Thus, for example, the manager of brand X may be supplied with RF tag X including information about identification number '1xxxxxx', and the manager of brand Y may be supplied with RF tag Y including information about identification number '2xxxxxx'. .

The RF tag manufacturer may assign an access key X to brand X and an access key Y to brand Y. Then, the area '10' and the area '11' of the RF tag X are accessed only by the access key X when the RF tag X is manufactured, and the access key Y (access key Y) when the RF tag Y is manufactured. Y) can be set to access the region '10' and the region '11' of the RF tag Y only. In order to access the area '10' and the area '11' of the RF tag X, the RFID access terminal must have an access key X. Similarly, access to area '10' and area '11' of RF tag Y requires access key Y to be known. In this way, even if a person who does not know the access key X obtains the RF tag X, the area '10' and the area '11' of the RF tag X cannot be accessed.

The field k (k = 0, 1, 2, ..., n) of the region '11' may be read and written many times. In one embodiment, producer information may be recorded in field 0 (11-0) of the area '11'. The first level distribution information may be recorded in the field 1 (11-1). The second level distribution information may be recorded in field 2 (11-2). An n-th level distribution information may be recorded in the field n (11-n). When the actual goods are distributed, there may be several stages of distribution process. N may have a value larger than the number of all possible distribution stages so that all distribution information may be recorded.

For example, a manager of Brand X receives RF Tag X from an RFID manufacturer and then supplies RF Tag X to the production site (factory) of the Brand X product. The production site (factory) of the brand X product can record the production information in field 0 (11-0) of the RF tag X and attach the RF tag X to the product. In this case, the producer information may include information such as a production place, a product type, a product serial number, and a product manufacture craftsman. The distributor at the first level who has obtained the product X with the RF tag X can record his distribution information in the field 1 (11-1). This process may be further performed at each stage of distribution.

4 illustrates storage information, contents, and information encryption of each field according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The TID field of the area '10' of the RF tag X may include a value for identifying the brand X as described above. At this time, the value identifying the brand X is not separately encrypted. However, the value identifying the brand X can also be accessed only if the above mentioned access key X is known. In field 0, producer information may be recorded, which may include basic information such as the date of production, the place of origin, the producer, the production plant, the craftsman responsible for the production, the product type of the product, and the product serial number of the product. . For example, the producer may be a first plant in France or a second plant in Italy.

The first level distribution information may be recorded in the field 1, and the distribution information may include various information such as a distribution place, a distributor, a date of receipt of a distribution point of a product, a release date of a distribution point of a product, a distribution fee, and the like. For example, if a product is moved from a first factory in France to an Asian distributor in Hong Kong, the distributor at the first level becomes an Asian distributor. Or, if a product is moved from a first factory in France to a South American distributor in Sao Paulo, the distributor at the first level becomes a South American distributor. In field 2, a second level of distribution information may be recorded, and information similar to field 1 may be recorded. For example, if a product is moved from an Asian distributor to a Korean distributor in Incheon, the second level distributor becomes a Korean distributor. Or, if a product is moved from an Asian distributor to a Japanese distributor in Tokyo, the second level distributor becomes a Japanese distributor. As described above, distribution information similar to the above fields 1 and 2 may be recorded in the field k (k = 1, 2, 3, ..., n).

In order to record information in field k (k = 0,1,2,3, ... n) of RF tag X, each producer, distributor, or purchaser must each have an RFID access terminal. Each RFID access terminal must then have the access key X described above. The RFID access terminal having the above-mentioned access key X can be distributed to the above producers and distributors by the manager of brand X. At this time, the RFID access terminal distributed to the producer can record data only in the field 0. In addition, an RFID access terminal distributed to a k-level distributor may be configured to record data only in field k (k = 1, 2, 3, ... n). Information recorded in the field k (k = 0, 1, 2, ..., n) may be encrypted and recorded by different encryption keys k (key_k or keyk).

5 illustrates the types, uses, and generation methods of encryption keys according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In order to read or write the RF tag X, an encryption key of the kind shown in FIG. 5 may be required. Every RFID access terminal (hereinafter referred to as RFID access terminal X) distributed by the manager of brand X has an access key X. The RFID access terminal X may read raw data of the area '10' of the RF tag X or read or write raw data of the area '11'. In order to read or write data in field k (k = 0, 1, 2, ..., n) of RF tag X, RFID access terminal X must know the encryption key k. Each RFID access terminal X must know the encryption key k to encrypt the data to be recorded in the field k. Also, each RFID access terminal X must know the encryption key k to read and decrypt the raw data recorded in the field k.

The RFID access terminal X, which is supposed to read or write data in the field k, can be provided with the encryption key k from the server X managed by the manager of brand X. For this purpose, the RFID access terminal X reads the TID of the RF tag X. The RFID access terminal X then sends its identification number, e.g., the MAC address, together with the TID of the RF tag X to the server X. The server X generates an encryption key k according to a predetermined algorithm using the received MAC address and TID. The server X then returns the generated encryption key k to the RFID access terminal X. The RFID access terminal X encrypts the data to be recorded in the field k by using the encryption key k received from the server X. The RFID access terminal X may then write the encrypted data into field k of the RF tag X.

6 illustrates a process of distributing a consumer product to a consumer at a production location by using an RFID access terminal and an RF tag according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The manager of Brand X can supervise producers (L0) and distributors (L1-L3). Products of brand X (hereinafter product X) may be produced at factories in France, Italy, and / or Belgium. Product X produced at each plant can be provided to distributors in each continent, such as Europe, Asia, and North America, which are first-class distributors. The first level distributor can provide the product X to distributors in Korea, Japan, China, etc., which are the second level distributor in charge of each country. Distributors at the second level can provide product X to distributors such as Seoul Branch 1, Seoul Branch 2 and Busan Branch 1, which are third-level distributors in charge of each region. 6 shows an example in which the product X is produced in France and distributed in the order of Asia, Korea, and Seoul. The manager of brand X can distribute a different RFID access terminal X to each producer and each distributor. Each RFID access terminal X has different identification information. For example, the identification information of the RFID access terminal X distributed to a producer located in France is T0-1, and the identification information of the RFID access terminal X distributed to a distributor in charge of Asia is T1-2. Hereinafter, a method of recording data in the field k (k = 0, 1, 2, ..., n) of the RF tag X will be described whenever the product X is produced and distributed.

7 illustrates a method for a producer to record production information in an RF tag according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A plant in France can produce Product X under the direction of Brand X's manager. In addition, RF tag X can be attached to product X. At this time, the production information should be encrypted and recorded in field 0 of the RF tag X using the RFID access terminal X. For this purpose, encryption key 0 is required. To do this, follow these steps: First, the RFID access terminal X reads TID information of the RF tag X (S110). The RFID access terminal X distributed by the manager of Brand X includes an access key X for accessing the areas '10' and '11' of the RF tag X, so that the TID information can be accessed. Next, the RFID access terminal X transmits its identification information T0-1, the TID information of the RF tag X, and the production information to be recorded in the field 0 to the server X managed by the manager of the brand X (S120). . The server X generates an encryption key 0 according to a predetermined key generation algorithm, links the received production information and the generated encryption key 0 with the received TID, and records it in the database of the server X (S130). The predetermined key generation algorithm receives the identification information of the RFID access terminal X and the TID information of the RF tag X and generates an encryption key corresponding thereto. Next, the server X transmits the generated encryption key 0 to the RFID access terminal X (S140). The RFID access terminal X encrypts the production information using the received encryption key 0, and records the encrypted information in the field 0 (S150).

8 illustrates a method of recording distribution information by a distributor at a first level in an RF tag according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Level 1 distributors serving the Asian continent may receive product X from a plant located in France. At this time, the first level distributor in charge of Asia must encrypt and record the distribution information in the field 1 of the RF tag X using the RFID access terminal X distributed to him, which requires an encryption key 1. To do this, follow these steps: First, the RFID access terminal X reads TID information of the RF tag X (S210). The RFID access terminal X distributed by the manager of Brand X includes an access key X for accessing the areas '10' and '11' of the RF tag X, so that the TID information can be accessed. Next, the RFID access terminal X transmits its identification information T1-2, the TID information of the RF tag X, and distribution information to be recorded in the field 1 to the server X managed by the manager of the brand X (S220). . The server X generates an encryption key 1 according to a predetermined key generation algorithm, links the received distribution information and the generated encryption key 1 with the received TID, and records the encrypted key 1 in the database of the server X (S230). The predetermined key generation algorithm receives the identification information of the RFID access terminal X and the TID information of the RF tag X and generates an encryption key corresponding thereto. Next, the server X transmits the generated encryption key 1 to the RFID access terminal X (S240). The RFID access terminal X encrypts the production information using the received encryption key 1, and records the encrypted information in the field 1 (S250).

9 illustrates a method of recording distribution information by a distributor at a third level in an RF tag according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A third-level distributor in charge of Seoul branch 1 can receive product X from a second-level distributor. At this time, the third level distributor in charge of Seoul 1 must encrypt and record distribution information in field 3 of the RF tag X using the RFID access terminal X distributed to him. To do this, follow these steps: First, the RFID access terminal X reads TID information of the RF tag X (S310). Next, the RFID access terminal X transmits its identification information T3-1, the TID information of the RF tag X, and distribution information to be recorded in the field 3 to the server X managed by the manager of the brand X (S320). . The server X generates an encryption key 3 according to a predetermined key generation algorithm, links the received distribution information and the generated encryption key 3 with the received TID, and records the encrypted key 3 in the database of the server X (S330). Next, the server X transmits the generated encryption key 3 to the RFID access terminal X (S340). The RFID access terminal X encrypts the production information using the received encryption key 3, and records the encrypted information in the field 3 (S350).

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a store product information providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is a state diagram of a store product information providing device shown in FIG. 10.

As illustrated, the store product information providing apparatus 200 has a table form. The store product information providing apparatus 200 includes a display panel 210 formed on an upper surface as shown in the drawing, and reads data recorded in an RF tag of a product placed beside the display panel 210 although not shown. Includes an RFID reader. Therefore, when the product is placed as shown in Figure 11, the RFID reader reads the information recorded in the RF tag. The product information providing apparatus for a store 200 transmits tag information read through an RFID reader to a service providing server providing product information. The service providing server authenticates the tag information received from the in-store product information providing apparatus 200, that is, authenticates whether the product is genuine and if the authentication is successful, transmits the image information related to the product to the in-store product information providing apparatus 200. send. Accordingly, the product information providing device for a store receives image information and outputs the image information to the display panel 210, and thus the image information is displayed on the display panel 210.

12 is a block diagram showing a product information providing device for a store according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated, the store product information providing apparatus 200 includes a display panel 210, a communication unit 220, an RFID reader 230, and a controller 240. The display panel 210 may be formed of any one of a liquid crystal display, a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display, and an organic light emitting diode. The display panel 210 may include a touch interface. The communication unit 220 is a configuration for communication connection with a service providing server for providing product information. The communicator 220 may include one or more wireless communication modules. Examples of the wireless communication module include an RF communication module and a Wi-Fi communication module. The RFID reader 230 is a component that reads information stored in the RF tag 100 of the product. The controller 240 is a controller for controlling the overall apparatus. The controller 240 transmits the tag information read by the RFID reader 230 to the service providing server through the communication unit 220, and in response thereto, receives the image information related to the product from the service providing server and displays the display panel 210. In this way, the store customers can receive relevant information about the products of interest. A detailed description thereof will be described later.

13 is a flowchart illustrating a process of providing store product information according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The store product information providing apparatus 200 may include a function similar to the RFID access terminal described above, and may include a function of logging in to a service providing server. The control unit 240 of the store product information providing apparatus 200 transmits the login information for user authentication to the service providing server 300 (S410). If the login is successful, the service providing server 300 transmits a login success signal to the store product information providing apparatus 200 (S415). Then, when the product is placed on top of the store product information providing apparatus 200, the RFID reader 230 of the store product information providing apparatus 200 is located in the area '10' of the RF tag 100 attached to the product. Access to read the TID (S420) (S425). The control unit 240 of the store product information providing apparatus 200 transmits the identification information of the device and the TID of the RF tag 100 to the service providing server 300 through the communication unit 160 (S430). In this case, the identification information of the device may be a MAC address of the device 200 for providing product information for a store.

The service providing server 300 receives the TID and the device identification information from the product information providing device 200 for the store, and compares and checks whether the same is the same as the TID and the device identification information previously stored in the internal database (S435). If the same, the service providing server 300 extracts the corresponding access key k (encryption key k) from the database and transmits the access key k (encryption key k) to the store product information providing apparatus 200 (S440). In this case, the transmitted access key k may be one or more. The control unit 240 of the store product information providing apparatus 200 receives the access key through the communication unit 220 and passes the received access key k to the RFID reader 230. Accordingly, the RFID reader 230 accesses and decrypts the area '11' of the memory 120 in the RF tag 100 using the access key k to extract user information (S445) (S450). The control unit 240 transmits the user information extracted by the RFID reader 230 to the service providing server 300 through the communication unit 220 (S455).

The service providing server 300 receives the user information, checks whether it matches the user information pre-stored in the database, and authenticates it as genuine if it matches (S460). If the activation is successful, the service providing server 300 transmits the product information to the store product information providing apparatus 200 (S465). This product information includes at least one image data of the three-dimensional modeling image data of the product and the image data for the product models belonging to the associated product family. The control unit 240 of the store product information providing apparatus 200 receives the product information through the communication unit 220 and outputs the product information to the display panel 210 (S470). Accordingly, the display panel 210 displays three-dimensional modeling images of the product itself and images of product models belonging to the associated product family. Therefore, the customer may not only activate the product of interest through the in-store product information providing apparatus 200, but also obtain various image information related to the product.

So far I looked at the center of the preferred embodiment for the present invention. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments should be considered in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all differences within the scope of equivalents thereof should be construed as being included in the present invention.

100: RF tag 200: Product information providing device for the store
210: display panel 220: communication unit
230: RFID reader 240: control unit
300: service providing server

Claims (4)

A display panel displaying an image;
A communication unit communicating with a service providing server;
An RFID reader for reading the information recorded in the RF tag of the product; And
A control unit which transmits the information recorded in the RF tag read by the RFID reader to the service providing server through the communication unit to receive the related information about the product from the service providing server and output the information to the display panel; Including;
The memory of the RF tag includes an identifier area and a user area in which tag identifier information is stored, and the user area is divided into two or more areas encrypted with different encryption keys.
The control unit transmits the identifier information of the device and the tag identifier information read by the RFID reader to the service providing server through the communication unit to transmit one or more encryption keys received from the service providing server to the RFID reader, The RFID reader receives the information in the user area decrypted using the one or more encryption keys and transmits the information in the user area to the service providing server through the communication unit to receive related information about the product from the service providing server. In-store product information providing device. The method of claim 1,
The related information about the product includes at least one of the image information of the three-dimensional modeling image information of the product and the image information of the associated product family of the product, characterized in that the store product information providing device. delete The method of claim 1,
The user area includes a producer area in which producer information of the product is recorded and a distribution area in which distribution information of the product is recorded,
At least one encryption key received from the service providing server is a key for decrypting at least one of the producer area and the distribution area.

Images